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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25811044">Every Ship Needs a Coffee Shop AU</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/GuajolotA/pseuds/GuajolotA'>GuajolotA</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dark (TV 2017)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Agnes ships them so hard, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops &amp; Cafés, Everybody is slightly happier than in the show, F/M, Let's pretend the family trees are normal ok?, Mikkel is an efficient waiter, Minor Franziska Doppler/Magnus Nielsen, Minor Jonas/Martha, Slow Burn, everybody has hoarder tendencies</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 11:40:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,961</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25811044</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/GuajolotA/pseuds/GuajolotA</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Hanno prepares coffee.</p><p>Elisabeth (sometimes) drinks said coffee.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Elisabeth Doppler/Noah | Hanno Tauber</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>102</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I just love them so much.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“One Latte and one Espresso Americano for table 5” Hanno calls, quickly placing the cups on a tray.</p><p>The Afternoon Rush is at its peak, when the door opens revealing two young women.</p><p>Hanno places a green tea and an iced latte on another tray, and calls for the waiter, who at this point is basically running. Without a beat to spear, Hanno turns to the counter.</p><p>“Hey,” the taller of the women greet and Hanno actually recognizes her- Franziska, who used to be his classmate back in HighSchool, but he doesn’t recognizes her companion.</p><p>“Hello, what can I get you?” Hanno asks, trying as hard as he can to sound polite and not to sound rushed.</p><p>“One Large Latte to go, skim milk, please and for my sister….” Franziska turns to her companion who is distracted looking around. Franziska moves her hand besides her face, calling her attention.</p><p><em>What do you want?</em> Franziska signs, and her sister looks around.</p><p>
  <em>What are you having?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Latte, do you want one, too?</em>
</p><p>She shakes her head, and Hanno sees her hand rise, doubtful. Hanno waves his hand, towards her</p><p><em>We also have tea.</em> He signs.</p><p>Hanno notices how Fransizka is giving him a quizzical look, but Hanno ignores it.</p><p>
  <em>E-A-R-L G-R-A-Y, please.</em>
</p><p>Hanno nods and starts working on their order as quick as he can.</p><p>“Here you go” he says as he places their order in front of them.  Franziska thanks him and her sister raises her hand to her face</p><p>
  <em>Thank you</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You are welcome</em>
</p><p>The afternoon rush continues as it always has.</p>
<hr/><p>“Gee, why the big smile?” Agnes teases as she enters the shop</p><p>Hanno glares at her from his place behind the counter, action that just makes Agnes laugh. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be helping dad?”</p><p>“Bro, it is past eight,” Agnes smiles, picking up a dirty cup from an empty table and taking them to the counter “good day, huh?”</p><p>“Decent” Hanno shrugs as he starts working on his sister’s usual order, chai tea with coconut milk, “Slowish morning, good afternoon, and dead night.”</p><p>“And why are you alone? Didn’t you had a sidekick in all this?” asks Agnes as she sits on one of the stools that they had at the counter.</p><p>“You mean the waiter? Marc already left, his shift ends at seven.”</p><p>“So you are all alone?”</p><p>“For half an hour,” Hanno says as he dries a espresso cup for himself, “until I close.”</p><p>“Oh, poor baby,” Agnes exclaims with feigned sadness, “I am going to stay here to make you company.”</p><p>“Don’t you have anywhere to go?”</p><p>Agnes shrugs “not today. I don’t understand why Aunt Erna doesn’t ask me to help during the summers like she asks you. She needs much more help than dad.”</p><p>“Ask Aunt Erna, not me”</p><p>“Oh, you know what she is going to say, that we would team up against her or something of the sort”</p><p>“As if”</p><p>“Yeah, I would shoot you for a piece of cake… not even a big one” Agnes jokes as Hanno hands her her beverage.</p><p>“Then talk to her, I think I might end up needing your help. I am pretty sure Marc is about to quit.”</p><p>“So you are here like 12 hours a day and now you are going to be all alone?”</p><p>“Didn’t you just said something about helping me….”</p><p>“I was talking about today.” Agnes stands and grabs a rag, “but only because you got me a chai for free.”</p>
<hr/><p>Hanno is flicking a copy of a trashy romance novel his Aunt Eran had left under the counter. While he generally sided with the philosophy of “there is always something that is needed in the shop, no time to rest”, in reality there were sometimes a couple of dead hours here and thee for him and Marc, the waiter on turn, to just relax and maybe eat something.</p><p>Hanno read about how the big bad boy cowboy had saved the very ordinary protagonist when the door opened.</p><p>Franziska’s sister had entered the cafe, and quickly found a table, and before Marc could stand to take her order Hanno stopped him</p><p>“I’ll go, finish your lunch.”</p><p>Hanno stands beside the blonde’s table as she takes her computer out of her backpack.</p><p><em>Hello, what can I offer you?</em> He signs, and without the adrenaline of the rush, he notices his signs are chopped and awkward. She smiles at him and starts signing.</p><p>
  <em>Hi, H-A-N-N-O, right? Franziska told me you were her classmate.</em>
</p><p><em>Yes, Hanno</em>, he quickly signs his name as his mom had thought him when he was little <em>Yes, back in High School. </em>Hanno takes the opportunity, and tries signing more.</p><p>“<em>No other reason but to practice” </em>He lies a little to himself.</p><p>
  <em>Sorry, what is your name?</em>
</p><p><em>E-L-I-S-A-B-E-T-H, Elisabeth</em>. She signs, thankfully not weirded out but his forwardness. <em>Where did you learn signing? </em></p><p><em>My mother thought me, </em>he explains, but since Elisabeth just stares at him, he continues<em> she is a teacher at the school, S-I-L-J-A.</em></p><p>Elisabteh smiles widely <em>she used to be my teacher a few years ago. </em></p><p>Hanno hears the door open again and turns. He sees a guy enter. Elisabeth waves at him excitedly and he walks to Elisabeth’s table, big smile on his face. Elisabeth signs at him as he pulls a chair to sit in, and it is impossible for Hanno not to notice how Elisabeth had clearly slowed down her signs for him just a moment before.</p><p><em>Do you want a minute to decide what do you want to order? </em>Hanno signs, and Elisabeth’s companion looks happily surprised at his signing. They order at that moment and Hanno leaves to prepare their drinks—French press and an iced tea.</p><p>For the rest of the time they are there, Marc is the one who takes care of their table.  Also for the rest of their time there, Hanno has to fight the urge to sneakily check their conversation.</p><p><em>“Just to practice” </em>he lies to himself again.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Elisabeth sits in front of her computer, watching blankly at the screen</p>
<p>“Best careers for the Deaf or Hard of Hearing”</p>
<p>Elisabeth sighed, why did all those lists where the same? She was not interested in Social Work, or Education….</p>
<p>Web Developer, at least that one was not as clichéd. It was only in 20 of the 30 lists she had read those last few days.</p>
<p>She looks across the table and Yassin is typing furiously. She almost feels bad of cutting his inspiration when she reaches and waves her hand in front of his screen.</p>
<p>
  <em>Did your school answered?</em>
</p>
<p><em>Yes, </em>he smiles; <em>it seems they do have a disability department. It is basically a done deal.</em></p>
<p>Elisabeth hated him a little bit for being so sure. Career chosen, school chosen, living situation chosen.</p>
<p>Elisabeth wished she had at least one of those questions answered. She didn’t know what she wanted to study, where or if she was even going to a campus or doing an online course.</p>
<p>She didn’t even knew if she wanted to drink.</p>
<p>Since that first time Elisabeth had come to the coffee shop with Franziska a week and a half ago, she had come back 3 times, all with Yassin, and both had spent some time on their computers planning and organizing for their start of college next fall, and a while just chatting . While he had been incredible efficient, e-mailing several universities with a number of questions, she had spent most of her time, trying to choose what to study. The last time she even tried to find where to study and <em>then</em> with that information choose a career.</p>
<p>A terrible idea.</p>
<p>A hand waved in front of them and both turned to see Mikkel Nielsen standing there. A piece of paper that read “Tell Me Your Wish” on his hand.</p>
<p>Between the first a second time she and Yassin had been there Mikkel had started working on the coffee shop, the last waiter gone. And since Mikkel had been working there Hanno had never went to the table to pick their orders.</p>
<p>A small tragedy</p>
<p>Because she didn’t like Mikkel very much, not because other reasons.</p>
<p>Yassin turned his laptop to Mikkel, where he had written French Press and Mikkel gave him a thumbs up, Elisabeth made a “T” with her hands</p>
<p>“Iced Tea?” another piece of paper read and Elisabeth nodded.</p>
<p>She had to admit Mikkel was very efficient in that regard. One of the perk after years of knowing each other he wasn’t awkward trying to communicate like the other waiter. Plus, his signs to ask for their order were fun.</p>
<p>But Hanno was still preferable, since he <em>actually</em> knew how to sign.</p>
<p><em>How did you do it? </em>Elisabeth asks Yassin, <em>Choosing law? How did you do it?</em></p>
<p>Yassin shrugs. <em>I found an article online and liked the idea. </em>Elisabeth had read a bunch of articles at that point and had not yet being rewarded with the inspiration like Yassin <em>Maybe you need to look in different ways. </em></p>
<p>Elisabeth gets an idea. Not a “career” idea, but an idea.</p>
<hr/>
<p>She spends the next day at her grandfather’s old cabin in the woods. Her parents had been saying how they should clear up the cabin since her grandfather had died, but never really had gotten to it.</p>
<p>She wondered if her parents had hoarder tendencies.</p>
<p>Elisabeth took a couple of boxes and started rummaging among her grandfather stuff, separating actual trash and stuff that could be donated, things that could be useful.</p>
<p>She stayed hours there, until she had made a good amount of progress clearing stuff out.</p>
<p>Now she was kicking herself for not staying longer or leaving earlier.</p>
<p>The first drop of water fell on her at a point where she was too far to simply walk back to the cabin to wait for the rain to stop, but there was no way possible that she was going to manage walking home and not end up drenched to the bone.</p>
<p>and she was just wearing summer clothes.</p>
<p>“<em>Damn, damn, damn</em>” she thought, as she remembers her mom warning her in the morning it was going to rain that day. “<em>Damn”</em> she starts running for a second without direction, but then she remembers the caves are not <em>that</em> far away.  She could wait there until the rain stopped. The drizzle turned into rain, her hair was sticking to her face as she run. She spots the cave.</p>
<p>She slips and falls.</p>
<p>She has no idea how it happens, but in a second she is on the ground, sharp pain comeing from her leg. She gives a quick peek and notices she is bleeding, probably cutting with a stone on the ground. She tries to ignore it as she limps to the cave, once inside she sits, her back on the wall and checks her leg. She had some blood on her shin, nothing too alarming, but a pain nonetheless. She sees some more half washed blood on her leg, and assumes it comes from her knee. She looks outside; it seems she is going to be there for a while. She spots someone running to the cave, he has a hoodie on and Elisabeth doesn’t recognize who it is. As he enters she presses her back to the cave, nervous for a second.</p>
<p>The figure takes the hood of his jacket off and shakes his head like a dog. Elisabeth feels her body relax when she notices is Hanno, and not some stranger, well, a stranger-<em>stranger </em></p>
<p>She waves at him and is about to greet him but stops at the look of horror on his face.</p>
<p>In a second he is kneeling in front of her, one of his hands cupping her cheek and his other hand wiping the hair out of her face, she can see his lips moving,  but it takes him a moment to remember signing</p>
<p>
  <em>What happened? Do you need hospital?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>What?</em>
</p>
<p>Hanno raises his hand, the one that was cupping her face, blood staining his thumb.</p>
<p>
  <em>YOU ARE B-L-E-E-D-I-N-G.</em>
</p>
<p><em>Bleeding</em> Elisabeth corrects, using the proper sign, and Hanno just gives her an incredulous look, after a second he signs at her again</p>
<p>
  <em>What happened?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>It probably happened when I fell, it doesn’t hurt.</em>
</p>
<p>Hanno, looks at her, or her forehead more specifically and quickly he pulls his messanger bag and looks for something in it,</p>
<p><em>What?</em> Elisabeth tries to call his attention, but he keeps looking until he finds a package of paper tissues. He offers them to her.</p>
<p><em>Is it that bad?  </em>Elisabeth asks, and Hanno takes his phone out and puts the camera on selfie mode, she didn’t look like a character of a horror movie, but if Elisabeth saw someone with that amount of blood on their faces she would assume they would be in at least some pain. <em>Thanks. It really doesn’t hurt, my knee hurts more, to be honest.</em></p>
<p>Hanno stands and takes off his jacket, he kneels infront of Elisabeth again and offers his jacket to her <em>are you cold?</em></p>
<p><em>Thank you </em>she signs as Hanno covers her with his jacket. <em>Are you sure you don’t need it?</em></p>
<p>
  <em>No, I am not wet, you are.</em>
</p>
<p>Hanno finally sits on the floor, giving Elisabeth more space.</p>
<p>She didn’t hate him being so close, tho.</p>
<p>
  <em>You were on your way to the coffee shop?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>No, today I don’t work.</em>
</p>
<p><em>Day off? </em>She signs and he just shrugs</p>
<p>
  <em>I don’t know that sign</em>
</p>
<p><em>D-A-Y O-F-F </em>Hanno gives her a half smile and nods <em>who covers you?</em> Elisabeth asks, not really interested in the answer, but just hoping to chat a little more with Hanno.</p>
<p>
  <em>My Aunt, and Mikkel can do without me for one day. Even if I am the actual barista.</em>
</p>
<p><em>Do you like it? The coffee shop.  </em>He doesn’t respond, just seems to think about the question. For some who barely emotes, Elisabeth thinks he has a very expressive face.</p>
<p>
  <em>I do. I really like coffee and I’ve worked with Aunt Erna since I was 15. When I went to college, I worked at a coffee shop there, and learned a lot about coffee, but it is not the same than working here.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Where did you go to college? </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Berlin, A-N-T-H-R-O-P-O-L-O-G-Y  . </em>
  <em>I just came back past month.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Are you staying in Winden, for good?</em>
</p>
<p>Hanno just shrugged, and Elisabeth nod. She couldn’t blame him for not having a plan for his short term future.</p>
<p>
  <em>Have you chosen yet? Your major?</em>
</p>
<p>Elisabeth stared at him, slightly confused</p>
<p><em>I saw you and your boyfriend talking about it. About you not knowing.</em> He looks uncomfortable of telling her this, even guilty.</p>
<p>
  <em>No, I don’t know yet.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>It is OK. Sorry for spying.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>It is OK.</em>
</p>
<p>Something seems to call Hanno’s attention and he looks outside the cave <em>the rain is stopping. </em>He tells her. He stretches his hand so Elisabeth can take it. <em>Come, I will walk you to a doctor, </em>he signs when Elisabeth doesn’t take his hand.</p>
<p>
  <em>Doctor? I am fine</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>You don’t know that, you hit your head.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>We have been here for a while. If I had something I would have noticed, don’t you think?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Doctor.</em>
</p>
<p>Elisabeth considered challenging him, a little bit more but decided not to</p>
<p>Again, she didn’t mind him being close to her.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Hanno walks her to a doctor and stays with her, helping her translate even if Elisabeth is quite sure there must be a nurse or someone that can help with that.</p>
<p>She waits for her father who is picking her up, since the doctor does ask her to take it easy and Hanno can’t walk her home.</p>
<p>
  <em>Thank you for the help</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>It was nothing</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Seriously, thank you.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Your signing is good.</em>
</p>
<p>Hanno laughs. <em>Don’t need to lie I know I am rusty and choppy</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Most people’s signing is choppy, you just need some practice.</em>
</p>
<p>He stares at the distance again; his face doesn’t change but his eyes looked defeated, <em>and a practice partner</em></p>
<p>
  <em>You didn’t have to ask.</em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>The fifth time Elisabeth enters the coffee shop, she sees a girl on the counter. She is chatting with Hanno who is smiling at something she is saying. She is tall and pretty, with dark hair just barely past her shoulders.</p>
<p>Hanno spots her across the room and waves at her, a warm smile still on his face; still there from whatever the dark haired girls had told him.</p>
<p>The dark haired girl grabs a to-go cup and makes her way to the door. She gives a small smile to Elisabeth when they cross paths.</p>
<p>The fifth time Elisabeth goes to the coffee shop she sits on the counter where she can chat with Hanno.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>(It has just hit me that I should change the rating to M.... not for anything that happens in this chapter tho)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So, how did your torture session went?” Agnes asks as she enters the shop, earlier than ever. She makes her way behind the counter, leaving her bag on the empty space under the espresso machine. “I did not noticed you when you got home,” Agnes finally looks at Hanno and stares at him in shock. “What happened to you? Di Magnus gave you drugs?” Her tone is not accusing. Well, it is not accusing in the “taking drugs” part but in the “you didn’t share with me the drugs that you were give?” part.</p>
<p>Mikkel laughs from the other side of the room where he was setting the tables. “He has had that silly smile since last night.”</p>
<p>
  <em>“Wait.”</em>
</p>
<p>“What silly smile?” Hanno asks surprised and a little confused at Mikkel’s comment.</p>
<p>“The corners of your mouth Hanno, they are going up,” Agnes teases and Hanno throws her a dishcloth.</p>
<p>“I don’t know what the two of you are talking about, I sometimes are in a good mood. And by the way, the session went great.” He finally answers to Agnes.</p>
<p>The past day, after Elisabeth’s father had picked her up at the doctor’s, Hanno had gone to Magnus apartment to continue working on his back tattoo.</p>
<p>A tattoo that he had started getting 3 weeks ago; his first weekend at Winden after finishing college. Magnus, Bartoz and himself had end up drinking at Magnus apartment. One thing took to another and before Hanno’s brain had started working again Magnus had already drawn a huge triangle on his back.</p>
<p>Now he had a commitment, and had to get the whole tattoo or look like an idiot for the rest of his life. Mikkel had arrived after closing early (he swore it was because it was a specially slow day) and stayed with them for a while as Magnus worked.</p>
<p>“So? How are you? How is your back?” Agnes asked, as she helped organizing the chairs.</p>
<p>“It is fine, just itchy,” Hanno walks out of the counter and towards his sister, “I will put the chairs, you help organizing the counter.”</p>
<p>“So chivalrous,” Agnes teases. After that day a couple weeks ago when Hanno had mentioned he needed her help, Agnes had been appearing at odd hours and helped him and Mikkel set the tables or close. Hanno had actually considered hiring her, even if Mikkel had proven to be much more efficient that their past waiters.</p>
<p>All of them.</p>
<p>All the waiters Hanno could remember.</p>
<p>The morning rush starts but is nothing too crazy, mostly people going to work and getting a coffee to start the day.</p>
<p>Hanno passes the whole morning fighting to not scratch his back.</p>
<p>“Someone has to help me” Hanno says after the rush finally ends.</p>
<p>“What? Do you want a scratch?” Agnes taunts him.</p>
<p>“No, I need help putting moisturizing cream on my back.”</p>
<p>“No, ew”</p>
<p>“I will do it” Mikkel offers, “but Agnes has to do the dishes.”</p>
<p>Hanno and Mikkel hid behind the espresso machine and Hanno took his shirt off.</p>
<p>“My Oh My! That can’t be hygienic!” Agnes laughs as Mikkel applies the moisturizing cream.</p>
<p>“Yeah, but we cannot leave you all alone, can we?” All is over before anyone enters the shop and Hanno quickly puts his shirt on again.</p>
<p>“Now, Agnes, your part of the deal” Mikkel calls and Agnes laughs.</p>
<p>“I never agreed on that.” Agnes takes off her apron, and pours the coffee Hanno had prepared to her a while ago on a to-go cup. Hanno can’t help but laugh when the door opens.</p>
<p>Elisabeth enters to the shop and he waves at her.</p>
<p>He assumes she is there to help him with his signing.</p>
<p>“Well, I am leaving now,” Agnes call, taking her to-go cup with the lukewarm coffee.</p>
<p>Elisabeth sits on the counter and waves at Hanno, Mikkel gives her a nod as a hello, as he starts to accept Agnes had played him and he was going to have to clean the dishes.</p>
<p><em>Hi, Elisabeth. </em>Hanno stands close to Elisabeth, not sure of what to say. <em>What can I get you to drink?</em></p>
<p>Before she can answer, Mikkel places an Iced Tea in front of Elisabeth.</p>
<p>“She always orders the same, and Yassin does too.”</p>
<p>
  <em>Thank you, Mikkel.</em>
</p>
<p>“Yassin? That is the name of her boyfriend?” Hanno asks, curious.</p>
<p>“Boyfriend?” Mikkel sounds confused “Did they finally…?”</p>
<p>“What do you mean…?” Hanno is confused as</p>
<p>“When they were little they were boyfriend and girlfriend,” Mikkel laughs, “when they were like 9, but I never expected for them to become a real thing, you know?”</p>
<p>Hanno turn to Elisabeth, ready to ask about what Mikkel is telling him, but notice she is looking at them with a confused look.</p>
<p>Maybe he should try to sign to her so she can understand.</p>
<p>Mikkel takes his notepad out and writes something.</p>
<p>“You + Yassin a thing 4real?”</p>
<p>Elisabeth reads it and quickly shakes her head, clearly amused at the idea.</p>
<p><em>You told me, yesterday </em>Hanno is glad he is signing, he is quite sure his tone would sound accusing if he was speaking.</p>
<p>
  <em>I did not, you assumed.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>And you didn’t correct me.</em>
</p>
<p><em>Sorry, I was bleeding from my head… </em>Elisabeth gave him a small smile, a little smug in Hanno’s opinion.</p>
<p>Hanno reaches across the counter pushing the hair from her forehead, seeing a small fabric bandage near her hair line. For a second he had forgotten about the injury.</p>
<p>
  <em>Does it hurt?</em>
</p>
<p>Elisabeth shakes her head. <em>It is fine, I was only teasing you. My head is fine. </em>They both stare at each other for a second before Elisabeth signs again, <em>Thank you, really, for everything yesterday.</em></p>
<p>The door opens, and without it’s time to get back to work.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Elisabeth enjoyed her time at the coffee shop; it gave her an excuse to get out of the house. She would go and chat with Hanno for a while, helping him practice his signing. Sometimes there would be a lot of work and he couldn’t chat, so she would work on reaching different universities.</p><p>If she couldn’t choose what to study, she at least could find <em>where</em> she could. Even if most of the answers were disappointing. Like the answer she was reading at that moment.</p><p>She notices Hanno trying to call her attention and looks up. He is standing in front of her, a strange glass jar on one hand and a cup in the other, but quickly leaves them on the counter when she is paying attention.</p><p>
  <em>You look upset.</em>
</p><p><em>I am annoyed. Most schools don’t really have accessible housing. </em>Hanno nods. He lifts the strange glass jar.</p><p>
  <em>Free coffee? </em>
</p><p><em>For me? </em>Hanno nods, <em>A gift? G-I-F-T?</em></p><p>Elisabeth was surprised at how fast Hanno learned new signs and how fast he managed to integrate those new signs into his everyday conversations.  It was also funny that he had managed to ask her words she didn’t even know, forcing her to learn very specific signs, just to teach them to him even if she was sure she was never going to use. But even with that, more commonly he didn’t knew very common small talk signs.</p><p>Hanno nods, more enthusiastically this time and turns to start fetch a cup for Elisabeth but she waves at him. <em>I don’t like coffee! </em>She signs and Hanno stares at her, clearly confused and for a second Elisabeth wonders if she signed too fast for him.</p><p>
  <em>Why?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It is too bitter. Tastes like dirt.</em>
</p><p><em>No. No. No. You have not tried my coffee. </em>He serves himself a cup and the hands her a small espresso cup with just a taste. <em>This is a completely different coffee. </em>He seems to note Elisabeth’s hesitation and calmly signs, reassuring her. <em>You don’t have to try it if you don’t want it.</em></p><p>She gives a sip and is surprised she actually like it.</p><p>
  <em>It is a C-L-E-V-E-R</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I don’t even think the sign for it exists. I have never seen it in the menu.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It isn’t in the menu. I make it for me.</em>
</p><p>Elisabeth empties her cup and leaves it in the counter and Hanno asks.</p><p>
  <em>Do you want more?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I could have a little more.</em>
</p><p>Hanno hands her a normal sized cup with coffee with a smile that reaches his eyes, and Elisabeth takes a sip.</p><p>
  <em>It is really good</em>
</p><p><em>Thank you, the place where I used to work in college was very into different types of… </em>Hanno seemed lost for words, but Elisabeth understands what he tries to say. <em>After a lot of trial and error I ended up liking this type of coffee.</em></p><p>Elisabeth notices how Hanno is constantly looking at his phone screen, distracting him. While his expression doesn’t really change, it is obvious he is thinking very hard about something.</p><p>
  <em>What happened?</em>
</p><p>Hanno stares at the distance, as if calculating something.</p><p>
  <em>This used to be an inn. And I have been looking for an apartment. My Aunt offered a room upstairs, since is all empty and you know, not an Inn anymore.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>That sounds great.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yes… I just, was not looking for an apartment in Winden.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Do you want to leave again? </em>
</p><p>
  <em>I am not sure. I never thought staying was an option.There is not work here in my field.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Is there work anywhere for someone who studied anthropology?</em>
</p><p>Hanno finally seems to loosen up as he laughs.</p><p>Someone calls Hanno and he turn to the client, before pointing so Elisabeth would turn too.</p><p><em>Hi, Magnus! </em>Elisabeth greets genuinely happy to see him.</p><p>Magnus and her sister Franziska had dated years ago when both were in High School, but had broken up when Franziska had graduated. They still seemed to be love each other, but Franziska had decided to follow the dream of all her life of leaving Winden, to get thechance to study on Munich. Magnus had stayed, and started to tattoo professionally.</p><p>According to many of her friends he was quite talented.</p><p>Also according Fransiska, who still periodically stalked his Instagram.</p><p>
  <em>How are you?</em>
</p><p>After years of dating Franziska he had learned some basic signs, not enough to have a conversation, but enough to keep it polite.</p><p>Elisabeth opened the notepad app on her laptop and quickly types.</p><p>“Good, how are you?”</p><p>He types back.</p><p>“Good, came here to cash in a free coffee Hanno owes me”</p><p>Elisabeth feels her phone buzz and she peeks at it quickly, seeing she had gotten a text.</p><p><span class="u">Mikkel</span> <em>: I told him ONCE you were coming a lot and he asked me 33 times if Franziska was here too</em></p><p>Elisabeth finds that amusing, and can’t believe those two were still so hooked with each other.</p><p><span class="u">Elisabeth</span> <em>: Actually I told Franziska you were working here and she asked about Magnus too….</em></p><p>Elisabeth turns to give pointed look to Mikkel but he sees him holding a laugh, and looking to the door.</p><p>Franziska had just entered to the coffee shop.</p><p>Elisabeth tries to act normal, but seeing Hanno basically hiding behind the Espresso machine, holding a laugh almost breaks her.</p><p><em>Those two are just unbelievable </em>Hanno signs from his place behind the espresso machine. Elisabeth really wants to sign back to him, even something as simple as a "HaHaHa", but she knows if she said anything, her sister would notice it. So she just stayed on her chair, frozen, completely still.</p><p>It worked since after a minute or two, the pair had left the coffee shop and Elisabeth could see Mikkel losing it, laughing as hard as he can. Hanno also looking extremely amused at his friends, biting back a smile.</p><hr/><p>Elisabeth arrives home before her parents, who are probably at their work. She also notices Fransizka is not home, but Elisabeth can safely assume where she is. Elisabeth walks to her room, which is a complete mess, with books, clothes and every little trinket Elisabeth owns cluttering her room.  She leaves her bag on her bed and stares for a second to the mess, deciding almost immediately to postpone cleaning.</p><p>She walks to the basement, continuing her quest to get some inspiration in choosing what to study.</p><p>Maybe they had some old yearbooks from elementary school that remind her of something, maybe an interest she had as a child, or something. Anything.</p><p>She opens an unmarked box, assuming it would have something related to her, but instead she finds some notebooks she had never seen.</p><p>They were filled with beautiful drawings, probably made by her mother.</p><p>Birds, flowers, even some portraits. Between the pages there were some old photos, that Elisabeth took out to put on an photo album. Some were so well kept that Elisabeth assumed they could be put on a picture frame.</p><p>Elisabeth takes a second box, and opens it. This second one was filled with trinkets. Elisabeth, already curious from the last box starts digging on it. A pencil box, some old keys, a cassette, all seemed pretty random. Something glimpses and calls Elisabeth attention; and old gold pocket watch, she doesn’t feel the mechanism, and opens it, noticing the hands are really still. On the inside it had an engraving.</p><p>“For Charlotte”</p><p>Elisabeth knew her mother’s grandfather used to own a shop and used to make clocks, and she assumes he had made the pocket watch for her mother. She decides to pocket the watch, and find an actual box with things that were hers to take it to her room.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Aunt Erna” the older woman looks up. Hanno had gone to his aunt’s house after his shift to give her the notebook with the bookkeeping of the coffee shop.  “I was thinking, maybe we could hire someone else. I already checked the numbers and it perfectly possible, especially since we could organize the shifts better and…”</p><p>“Sure. If you think it is right,” Aunt Erna answers nonchalantly, not even letting Hanno finish the long speech he had been preparing all day long.</p><p>“Uhh… really?”</p><p>“Yes, Hanno, you can do what you want with the coffee shop, you know that.”</p><p>“I… do?”</p><p>”Yes, you are inheriting the coffee shop, it is good time for you to take charge and choose to make the changes you want”</p><p>“Wha--?” Hanno is completely speechless, his head about to explode. It was all very confusing.</p><p>“What?” Aunt Erna asks him, noticing how he is struggling to find any kind of words.</p><p>“Inheriting what?”</p><p>“The Coffee Shop….why do you think I told you to live upstairs?”</p><p>“Because…. You can say no to someone in need?” Hanno tried to answer, quickly realizing that sounded a little dumb.</p><p>“And live rent free?” Erna laughs, mockingly. “You are so innocent!”</p><hr/><p>
  <span class="u">Hanno:</span>
  <em> It is official; I am looking for a new person for the coffee shop</em>
</p><p>
  <span class="u">Agnes:</span>
  <em> Sure, I get bored with dad</em>
</p><p>
  <span class="u">Hanno:</span>
  <em> I never said you are hired</em>
</p><p>
  <span class="u">Agnes:</span>
  <em> Oh, so you want to look for someone? Really?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hanno is typing…</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hanno is typing…</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hanno is typing…</em>
</p><p>
  <span class="u">Hanno:</span>
  <em> Fine!</em>
</p><p>
  <span class="u">Hanno:</span>
  <em> You are hired, I will send you your schedule the moment I make it.</em>
</p><p>
  <span class="u">Agnes:</span>
  <em> You are a mess!</em>
</p><hr/><p>Life was a balancing act. A balancing act between accepting help from Aunt Erna, and knowing when she was acting as if she was offering help but actually she was tricking you into helping her.</p><p>But in this case, Hanno had thought life was finally on his side.</p><p>“You can take the space upstairs,” Aunt Erna had said. “It is all yours now.” she had said. “You can do as you want with that space,” she had said. And Hanno had taken it as good news. She was offering to live rent free? On a space that was actually big and spacious?</p><p>It hadn’t been until Hanno went to check the place that Aunt Erna’s hoarder tendencies became absurdly clear, and he had realized how he was helping Aunt Erna.</p><p>And life was still no her side.</p><p>All the rooms of what used to be the Inn were filled with trash, and boxes, and bags, and trash, and furniture, and trash, and books.</p><p>But specially, trash.</p><p>Well, now technically his trash.</p><p>Hanno had arrived extra early to the shop, going directly upstairs to check on the space. Mikkel and Agnes would open before Agnes’ shift at the auto shop, and then Hanno planned to go to the shop and start his shift.</p><p>Hanno walks from room to room, trying to deciding how to start the organizing.</p><p><em>“Choose a room,” </em>he said to himself, <em>“choose a room and start from there.”</em></p><p>Hanno chooses a room with a decent window, knowing the natural light would help him, since he wasn’t even sure the rooms had functioning light bulbs.</p><p>
  <em>“Good…. Now what?”</em>
</p><hr/><p><em>You look exhausted</em>, Elisabeth looks worried, and Hanno wonders if his act of “everything is fine” had fooled anyone, or if only Elisabeth has the ability to call his bluff, since Mikkel didn’t seem to notice.</p><p>Then again, Mikkel is Mikkel.</p><p><em>I am,</em> Hanno signs, barely marking the sign. Elisabeth sits there, expecting Hanno to elaborate further. <em>I am because I am clearing out the space upstairs.</em></p><p>He had been effectively taken advantage of the extra manpower that having Agnes in the team meant to take extra time to organize and clear out as much as he could. But without a real schedule and his sister “getting sure she didn’t left any loose threads” in the auto shop, he was still working all his hours except the opening and closing that Agnes had promised she would help with. Even knowing than in a few days he would have more free time, he ended up preferring to clean before his shift instead of resting like a normal person.</p><p>But now after 2 days cleaning and working without rest, Hanno felt he was at the end of the rope.</p><p>Elisabeth claps happily<em>, you are staying! </em>She signs, a huge smile on her face.</p><p><em>Yes</em>, Hanno has to fight a smile, or maybe he was too tired to smile? He couldn’t think, <em>I am staying, and I am taking the space upstairs.  But clearing out the rooms upstairs is impossible.</em></p><p>
  <em>How come?</em>
</p><p><em>It is just too full, too… </em>Hanno stops, too lost for words.</p><p><em>C-L-U, </em>Elisabeth starts, but even following her finger spelling is too hard. His brain is too tired.  He blinks once, hard, and Elisabeth takes her phone out of her pocket, writing a note in it:</p><p><em>Don’t overwork yourself</em> Hanno takes her phone from Elisabeth’s hand and types a quick response.</p><p>
  <em>I will rest, I already found someone new to help in the shop and I will have free time to work upstairs then.</em>
</p><p>Elisabeth gives him a thumbs up. Hanno musters all his strengths and signs.</p><p>
  <em>Maybe I will clean after my shift, just a little, not ALL night</em>
</p><p>Elisabeth takes a paper napkin and makes it a little ball, threatening him to throw it at him.</p><p>
  <em>Joke! I will take it easier, the clearing out. Maybe get some help too.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I can help you; I am great at decluttering and organizing!</em>
</p><hr/><p>Hanno constantly joked on how his sister was a little of a pain in the ass.</p><p>A lot of a pain in the ass, actually.</p><p>But in moments like this he was so happy to have her around. No, she was not helping him for a benevolent reason, but she was being helpful.</p><p>When Hanno had discovered a trunk full of old clothes at the very end of the room he had informed Agnes who had taken her free time before her shift and gone with the excuse that she would “help”.</p><p>“Help” being code to get a new vintage wardrobe.</p><p>Because she likes stuff.</p><p>Well she did have helped bringing stuff form their house.</p><p>But really it was all about the vintage clothes.</p><p>“I am dust,” Agnes whines, her practical pants and basic shirt basically gray. “You are also. I can’t work like this.”</p><p>“You won’t make it back home…” Hanno checks his phone to see the time, also noticing there as no new text from Elisabeth, “Maybe if you run?”</p><p>“You don’t have a shower?”</p><p>“And what you would wear?” The slightly evil smile of Agnes gave Hanno a clear idea of her plan.</p><p>So, in less than 20 minutes Agnes had emerged from the bathroom dressed with some (surprisingly clean) vintage pants with a shirt Hanno was 100% sure it was his.</p><p>He hated how fashionable she was.</p><p>And he hated he was never going to get that shirt back. “You should clean your face, Hanno. The dust is going to get into your eyes.” Making him roll his eyes.</p><p>“You get one shower and feel like you could judge me for being dirty.”</p><p>“If you saw yourself you would understand it.”</p><p>Hanno walks to the bathroom, taking his shirt off just to not soak it and bends over the sink, cleaning his face and hair. He had to admit the cold water refreshed him.</p><p>He hears the door open and Agnes voice, even if he couldn’t make what she was saying.</p><p>“What is going on?” he asks, walking out of the bathroom, with his shirts still in his hand.</p><p>“I am leaving,” Agnes says as she walks towards the door, “Pleasure to meet you!” she calls to Elisabeth, who was standing at the door. Agnes is too excited with her new clothes to notice Elisabeth doesn’t understand her as she walks out the apartment.</p><p>Elisabeth stares at Hanno,clearly trying very hard at not making any expression, most probably laughing, when Hanno remembers he still has not put his shirt back on.</p><p>“<em>Oh, right”</em> Once he is appropriately dress, Elisabeth signs.</p><p>
  <em>Cleaning?</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Elisabeth walks past the entrance of the coffee shop, making her way to the side of the building where a small staircase lead her to the entrance of the space above the coffee shop. She had sent a text to Hanno telling him she was about to arrive. Elisabeth knocks the door a couple of times, hoping Hanno can hear it. She waits for a couple of seconds and the door opens.</p><p>Is not opened by Hanno, but by the pretty brunette she had seen in the coffee shop a couple of days ago. She has her hair wet and is wearing one of Hanno’s shirts, and Elisabeth can’t help but blush.</p><p><em>“Maybe I arrived at a terrible moment,”</em> Elisabeth thinks. The brunette starts talking to Elisabeth with a big smile, letting her in. Elisabeth doesn’t respond, still confused. She turns and Elisabeth sees a shirtless Hanno walking out of the bathroom with his hair wet.</p><p>Elisabeth wants to die a little bit.</p><p>Hanno’s girlfriend waves good bye, still that bright smile on her face. Elisabeth tries very hard to keep her eyes at Hanno’s face, or more exactly at the space behind his face, when Hanno seems to snap back into reality and put his shirt on.</p><p><em>“It wouldn’t have been so bad if he had kept it off tho…” </em>Elisabeth pushes those thoughts out of her head and signs to Hanno: <em>Cleaning?</em></p><p>Hanno points to a room and Elisabeth follows him. <em>This is going to be my room, </em>he explains. The room had a window at the end of it, and was mostly empty: It had an old bed frame, with a newish mattress, a small desk, a couple of boxes and paper bags, and a mop and a bucket. <em>We put everything else on the other rooms and hallway, trying to clear some space.</em></p><p>
  <em>Great!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You think? You think it was a good idea?</em>
</p><p><em>“Oh right, I had said I was some kind of expert….” </em>Elisabeth remembers, why had she offered her help?</p><p>She finally answers to Hanno, <em>Sure!</em>, and he gestures her to follow him and she follows him to the next room which was almost comically filled.</p><p>“Almost comically,” because it was actually terrifying.</p><p>It was just a huge mess.</p><p><em>Where do we start? </em>Hanno asks and Elisabeth just shrugs.</p><hr/><p>Elisabeth sits on Hanno’s bed, and Hanno sits beside her, both exhausted, but at least his room free of clutter.</p><p>She and Hanno had finished emptying his room; putting some papers that were trash into actual garbage bags and keeping the rest in a cardboard box for later organizing.</p><p>Then they had also started to declutter the next room, and even if they had spent hours on it, they had barely made a dent.</p><p>Hanno had found a chair that he could use with the desk from the other room and a large mirror he could hang in his room.  Tragically, when he had moved the mirror some of the boxes had fallen and spilled their contents on the floor, not helping at all.</p><p>Elisabeth had filled two more garbage bags; they were mostly receipts and coupons, decades old. The problem was that she had to check everything in every box, since she had also found some old letters and pictures she had separated to give them to Hanno’s Aunt.</p><p>An empty trunk had been filled with Hanno’s stuff for the meanwhile, and the bed had been dressed with bed sheets Hanno had brought from home, not trusting whatever he found there.</p><p>And after all that work, Elisabeth could barely move anymore.</p><p>Hanno waves to her, calling her attention</p><p><em>I would offer you a beer, I owe you one.</em> He signs, exhausted.</p><p><em>You don’t have to, </em>Elisabeth answers.</p><p><em>Well, a coffee on the house. </em>Elisabeth give him a pointed look, <em>fine, a tea. Thank you for helping me today.</em></p><p>
  <em>Hey, we can still make a little more progress today, just let me rest for 5 minutes…</em>
</p><hr/><p>Elisabeth wakes up with a gasp.</p><p>She had fallen asleep in Hanno’s bed.</p><p><em>“Oh fuck!”</em> She jumps out of his bed, waking him up.</p><p>She looks around her, it was dark already.  </p><p>Hanno is trying to call her attention, but Elisabeth can’t really see him. She pulls her phone out of her pocket, to use the lantern but discover it is dead. Hanno walks out of the room and turn on the light on the hallway.</p><p>
  <em>Sorry, I have not put a light bulb on the room.</em>
</p><p><em>What time is it? I feel asleep.</em> Hanno pulls his phone out of his pocket and shows it to Elisabeth, barely past 12.</p><p>
  <em>I have to get home</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Let me walk you, is late</em>
</p><p>Elisabeth wants to tell him is not necessary, but she knows he would never let her walk alone at night, so she just takes her bag and gives him a thumbs up.</p><hr/><p>Elisabeth had spent the rest of the night and the next day kicking herself.</p><p>It was so embarrassing… It felt so weird! She had ended up sleeping on Hanno’s bed… with Hanno, even if it was not <em>like that</em>.</p><p>And to make it worse, she had crossed paths with his girlfriend just hours before!</p><p>Oh, and she had seen her leered on him!</p><p>And she had tried to stop it but she couldn’t! She had seen shirtless men before… it was not something new in her life, but it was Hanno. And just thinking about that made her blush.</p><p>Elisabeth only wanted earth to swallow her whole.</p><p><em>“It is not even that bad”</em>, she tells herself. <em>“Why you are suffering so much for this?”</em></p><p>Elisabeth sighs and check her phone, the text Hanno had sent her the day before still unread.</p><p>
  <span class="u">Hanno: </span>
  <strong>
    <em>I still owe you a tea!</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>Elisabeth has to face the music. She gathers all her courage and she goes back to the coffee shop, walks into it…</p><p>And Hanno’s girlfriend is there.</p><p>With an apron.</p><p>Hanno gives her a small smile from his place behind the espresso machine, too busy to wave at her and Elisabeth walks to her usual place at the counter.</p><p>The brunette says something to Elisabeth and Elisabeth notices how Hanno explains her something—her situation, most probably. The brunette turns back to Elisabeth and signs.</p><p>
  <em>Oh! I didn’t know you signed, sorry.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Oh no….” </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yes, don’t worry.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I am A-G-N-E-S, Agnes. Hanno told me you helped him the other day!</em>
</p><p><em>“Swallow me whole, earth”</em> Elisabeth wonders how much did Hanno told her? Was she not mad? Well, maybe it wasn’t that bad, maybe Elisabeth was just overthinking everything for some unexplainable reason.</p><p><em>Yes…</em> Elisabeth signs and nods.</p><p>
  <em>He is so useless, he always needs someone to help him, can’t make a decision for his life!</em>
</p><p>Elisabeth tries to check on Hanno quickly, he is glaring at Agnes.</p><p><em>Stop badmouthing me! </em>Elisabeth can see how Hanno is speaking and signing at the same time, and she is grateful she doesn’t leave her in the dark even when talking with people that can hear.</p><p>Agnes laughs, <em>he takes himself so seriously.</em></p><p>Hanno walks to Elisabeth and leaves an iced tea in front of her</p><p>
  <em>Don’t pay attention to her.</em>
</p><p><em>So Agnes is the new waitress? You must be happy of having her here. </em>Hanno rolls his eyes, but does not look mad.</p><p>
  <em>Would you like your sister teasing you all day?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>What?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>What? You sister never tease you?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I steal Franziska’s make-up</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Well, Agnes cannot do that, but she does steal my clothes.</em>
</p><p>Elisabeth feels herself smile, unable to stop it. Agnes is his sister. That idea makes Elisabeth feel more at ease and, honestly, quite happier, even if a thought kept nagging her.</p><p>
  <em>“Why? Why do I care?”</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hanno stares at the piece of paper while the voices continue.</p><p>“Can I get Fridays off?”</p><p>“You cannot get Friday off, is the busiest day!”</p><p>“You are not the boss, Agnes, maybe he will say yes.”</p><p>“Why would he give you Fridays off and not me? His sister!”</p><p>Organizing the schedules was a nightmare. It was more than a nightmare, it was hell.</p><p>“We could change the schedule every week.” Mikkel suggests, as if it was a good idea.</p><p>“And have this problem every week?” Hanno mumbles, already tired for his future him.</p><p>“Yeah, better to change it when it is necessary.” Agnes agrees, if only to not agrre with Mikkel. “But we could open a little later.”</p><p>“We would lose the morning rush”</p><p>“We could let it to luck,” Mikkel says as he pullos a coin out of his pocket.</p><p>Hanno feels his head about to explode and he turn to Elisabeth, who is browsing on a box that she had gotten from upstairs. She had kept helping him with his organization endeavor, but since he didn’t have any free time, she had preferred to move the work downstairs.</p><p>
  <em>“Wonder why… Is not like I fear she s going to steal something”</em>
</p><p>Elisabeth waves at him, with a big smile. She shows him a coupon from a pizza place and then signs:</p><p>
  <em>When do you think did this expired?</em>
</p><p>Hanno shrugs and Elisabeth just signs <em>98!</em> And he smiles. Elisabeth loves finding old trinkets.</p><p><em>Have you found any interesting</em>? Hanno signs, while Agnes and Mikkel still debate about the schedule thing.</p><p><em>A couple of photos</em>, she lifts them, <em>but mostly trash, again. Some insurance policies, but they are too old already.</em></p><p>Hanno gives her a thumbs up.</p><p>“Don’t flirt while we are in a meeting,” Agnes tells him and Hanno just rolls his eyes.</p><p>“For you any interaction with a girl is flirting.”</p><p>Mikkel interrupted their little bicker “So, I can have Fridays off?”</p><p>“Why do you want Fridays off!?” Agnes asks, faking annoyance but clearly curios.</p><p>“I could come and use the captive audience!”</p><p>“You… have a band?” Hanno asks, surprised that Mikkel could have any musical inclination.</p><p>“What?” Mikkel asks, almost offended by the mere idea. “No, I am magician.”</p><p>“Oh…. That does not make more sense.” Agnes whispers to Hanno, but loud enough so Mikkel can hear her.</p><p>“I am good! Look!” Mikkel pointed at Elisabeth who was holding a small piece of paper she inspecting from the box, and he walks to her. He extended his hand so Elisabeth would give him the paper. One flicker of his hand, one synchronized move of both his hands and <em>puff</em>, no picture. Gone.</p><p>
  <em>Give it back!</em>
</p><p>Another flicker of his hands and he reaches behind Elisabeth’s ear, pulling the paper from behind Elisabeth’s ear. Elisabeth took the paper back quickly, and signs to Hanno.</p><p>
  <em>How does he do that?</em>
</p><p><em>Maybe he is magic;</em> Elisabeth seems a little shocked, but Hanno quickly explains himself. <em>It was a joke</em></p><p>
  <em>Of course.</em>
</p><p>“So… “Agnes starts; about to continue the jokey-fighting tone she and Mikkel had had for the last hour.</p><p>“We will rest each in Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, the three of us will work the weekend, someone morning shit, someone late shift, the third having a shift that is half morning half afternoon.” Hanno finally snaps, and both Mikkel and Agnes seem completely comfortable with the idea.</p><p>“It sounds fine for me” says Mikkel.</p><p>“Yeah, it was clear from the beginning something like this would be the schedule.” Hanno goes back to work, cleaning some dishes while Agnes and Mikkel continue acting as if they could have gotten to that idea at the end.</p><p>Elisabeth continues inspecting the paper Mikkel did his magic with, trying to understand the trick.</p>
<hr/><p>Elisabeth stands to leave, and Hanno almost tells her to stay just a minute longer. He has no reason to. She had already stayed hours and chatted whit him while he worked. She had even gone back upstairs to retrieve a second box to work in.</p><p>Still….</p><p>Agnes walks to Elisabeth and signs<em> don’t leave! It’s Saturday! I brought beer!</em></p><p>“You did what?” Hanno asks, and Elisabeth’s expression clearly reflected the same idea.</p><p>“Beer,” Agnes repeats, “to drink. Mikkel chip in.”</p><p>“We cannot stay here to drink afterhours.” Hanno states. He is not really sure of it, but assumes that will stop his sister.</p><p>“I know that, but lucky us you have a new place, incredibly close!”</p><p>“….But…” Hanno stutters, “we have to open tomorrow and…”</p><p>“No we don’t, I wrote on the chalkboard we would close tomorrow” Mikkel says, “Agnes said you said so.”</p><p>“You did what?”</p><p>“I called Aunt Erna” Agnes explains, “And I already texted your friends.”</p><p>“WHAT?”</p><p>“It’s a party!” Agnes says as she signs to Elisabeth “P-A-R-T-Y”</p><p>“I know what ‘Party’ means” Hanno says, only signing the ‘party’ sign. Hanno wants to be mad at his sister, but it was Saturday and a simply get together with his friends did sound good. “Fine, but no alcohol until we close.” There are just two tables besides Elisabeth, and one of them seems ready to leave, but Hanno doesn’t really think they should close earlier.</p><p> “Oh, that is obvious,” the door opens showing two figures, “oh no.”</p><p>“Jonas!” Mikkel greets the blond man with a fist bump.</p><p>“You greet him but not me?” Martha asks, teasing her brother, “you are a terrible little brother”</p><p>“Agnes, at what time did you…?” Hanno whispers to his sister who seems confused.</p><p>“I swear I told them after closing, don’t know why they are here so early”</p><p>“Because they have no concept of time,” Hanno mutters, and his sister mutters the smallest apology before running to one of the tables, to pretend she was working.</p>
<hr/><p>The get together is actually a better idea than what Hanno expected.</p><p>In the last few years it had been impossible to all of them to get together at the same time, and much less since Magnus and Fransizka had broken up. Now they were all together, and even the ‘littles’.</p><p>Jonas and Martha had brought wine, which some of them drink in old chipped mugs from the coffee shop. Magnus who had arrived with Fransizka, to the shock of nobody, had brought more beer. Thankfully Bartosz had been smart and had brought pizza and snacks.</p><p>Hanno had to look in the “mess rooms” to find some chairs or anything so they could sit.</p><p>Martha and Fransizka dig through the old pictures Elisabeth had set apart.</p><p>“I cannot believe this house is so old.” Fransizka laughs; she was holding a picture from a new year’s party that had been held on the Inn, decades ago, “look at everybody’s clothing.”</p><p>“They all look so proper,” Martha laughs, “I am 100% sure that bitter boy is my grandfather.” She points to a teenager, which indeed looked very serious.</p><p>Elisabeth lifts her hands, asking about what was happening and Hanno quickly translates for her.</p><p>“She is quite apt reading lips, did you know?” Asks Fransizka, her words tinted with the slightest slur.</p><p>
  <em>But I can’t read lips if you are looking down. I need to actually see your lips!</em>
</p><p>“I don’t mind translating, really” Hanno says and signs at the same time, “it helps me practice.”</p><p>“Yeah! If not he is going to end up like me, forgetting the 10 words I knew!” Magnus interferes, swinging his beer to one side and the other.</p><p>Fransizka gives Hanno a… a look.</p><p>Hanno decides to ignore it.</p><p>Elisabeth gives him a bright smile and the night goes on.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Low key don't know if write Bartosz as Eva!Bartosz (like nerdier) in future chapters or not....</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Elisabeth enters to Hanno’s apartment. She is soaking wet from the rain and shivering. Inside the cave is Hanno, hair wet and messy, no shirt to be found.</p><p>He walks to Elisabeth, on of his hands finding her waist, the other cupping her face. She gives a couple of steps back, surprised and her back touches the wall and she finds herself in Hanno’s bedroom.</p><p>A soft light fiils the room and they both fall into Hanno’s bed.  His face is closer and close of Elisabeth’s…</p><p> </p><p>Elisabeth wakes up. She closes her eyes immediately, the light hurting her eyes and her head. The pain is without a doubt memorable.</p><p>She is hangover.</p><p>She closes her eyes and drags her pillow over her face.</p><p>She remembers the night before. She remembers the Hanno, from the night before. Hair tussled, a smile brighter than ever. He handing her the cup he uses everyday, because is the only one not chipped. He spending all the night with her, helping her translate.</p><p>Elisabeth feels a bubbling sensation in her stomach, and for a second fears it is nausea.</p><p>But is not nausea, not really.</p><p>She has had felt this before, years ago. In her past.</p><p>When she liked Yassin</p><p><em>“I like Hanno?” </em>Elisabeth asks herself.</p><p><em>“Like, I obviuolsy like Hanno, but do I LIKE Hanno</em>?” She conjures the image of him, and she sees him, smiling at her from the other side of the counter…</p><p>
  <em>“Urhg, I like Hanno”</em>
</p><p>The image of a shirtless Hanno appears in her head and Elisabeth shakes her head, as if the movement would erase the image from her head.</p><p>It actually just makes her headache worse.</p><p>
  <em>“I REALLY like Hanno”</em>
</p><p>Elisabeth decides not to try to think too much about it. She is in pain and she does not need to be focusing on her crush.</p><hr/><p>Fransizka arrives with a dark chocolate and a sports drink, assuring Elisabeth that it would take her hangover away.</p><p><em>Just take a small bite of the chocolate. It will work, I swear. </em>Frnasizka signs; clearly worried about seeing Elisabeth in pain. Elisabeth had drink before, several times, but she had never had had a hangover like this.</p><p>Franziska on the other hand, had a long experience with hangovers, so Elisabeth trusts her.</p><p>Elisabeth takes a small sip from the sports drink, and Fransizka starts noticing her surroundings….</p><p>
  <em>Eli…. Why is this room a mess?</em>
</p><p>Elisabeth quickly checks the floor, a road of dirty clothes goes from the door to the bed, a corner has a tower of books and papers ready to collapse. Her desk has a mountain of clean clothes she was supposed to put away.</p><p>
  <em>Later, eventually.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>If you hate cleaning, why are you helping Hanno with his apartment?!</em>
</p><p>Elisabeth knows she is blushing now. But hopes Franziska assumes it is the hangover.</p><p>
  <em>You are reading too much into it</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Into what!?</em>
</p><p><em>I AM SO HANGOVER! </em>And Elisabeth takes her pillow and covers her face</p><hr/><p>Monday arrives with a dread. The last day Elisabeth could have tried to enroll on a school, and she still has no idea what she wants to do with her life.</p><p>Her parents don’t seem very worried about it.</p><p>“You can take some classes locally,” her mother tells her when she notices Elisabeth’s pained expression.</p><p>She knew there was a high chance she would end up taking a semester off. Even many of her professors had suggested to everybody in her class that was doubting what to study to take a semester or a year off.</p><p>But even with all that.</p><p>Elisabeth felt a tiny bit lost.</p><hr/><p>Yassin goes to the coffee shop with her, helping her to sort some old things, because why not? He is moving out of town soon, and since he was going to be very busy the next few days, it was a good excuse to spend so time together without making it feel like a farewell party.</p><p><em>I don’t understand why you find it entertaining</em> Yassin signs, after finding yet another 1 Mark coin.</p><p><em>I don’t know…</em> she lies, she is perfectly aware why she likes going to the coffee shop and rummage through old things that force her to have a conversation with Hanno. <em>But look, this is my great grand father.</em></p><p>Elisabeth is showing Yassin the picture, but is actually looking at Hanno, who is serving a cup of coffee to go. His shirt’s sleves are rolled up and Elisabeth can see his forearms.</p><p>And she is blushing again.</p><p>She tries to act as if nothing is happening but Yassin is looking at her with a devilish smile.</p><p>
  <em>Why you asked me to help you?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I offered an activity, you agreed!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I spy with my little eye you looking longingly at that guy <br/></em>
</p><p><em>His name is Hanno….</em> Elisabeth answers without even thinking, then realizes her mistake. <em>OFCOURSENOT </em> Elisabeth quickly takes her phone out, and sends a quick text to Yassin.</p><p><strong><span class="u">Elisabeth: </span></strong>Don’t say stuff like that! He could see!!</p><p><strong><span class="u">Yassin:</span></strong> Oh! Sorry, you are right, I shouldn’t have singed it.</p><p><strong><span class="u">Yassin: </span></strong>I spy with my little eye you looking longingly at that guy  :)</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry this is so short (I know all my chapters are short) but I have this scene I keep moving around.....</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So, I read a coffeeshopAU that just... stopped at the middle and I was so sad.</p>
<p>So it forced me to comeback and continue this.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p>Hanno knows Elisabeth is having a bad day.</p>
<p>The moment she got into the shop she had a look. She smiled and acted as if everything was fine, but was a little distant. Hanno knew the deadline for her to enroll this semester was today, and that Elisabeth had pushed herself to find a mayor but hadn’t.</p>
<p>She and Yassin are organizing a box of trinkets, and they are chatting a lot, slowing them down. Hanno tries very hard to not snoop on their conversation but he wants to.</p>
<p>He wants to know how Elisabeth is feeling; he wants to know if everything is ok. But she is with Yassin and Hanno knows that her best friend might be the best company for a gloomy day. Plus Yassin was leaving the town in few days…</p>
<p>Still he wants to know.</p>
<p>Agnes would call him controlling.</p>
<p>“<em>Thinking about Agnes”</em></p>
<p>“Order for table 3,” Hanno informs his sister who is checking her phone, “and let that phone alone…”</p>
<p>“I was just checking something very quick.” Agnes smiles, “You are so controlling.”</p>
<p><em>“Called it.”</em> He thinks to himself, but sometimes bothers him a little bit. Agnes had been on her phone most of the night the night they all got together.</p>
<p>Hadn’t she?</p>
<p>It was difficult to remember.</p>
<p>
  <em>“You are just trying to distract yourself from not spying on Elisabeth and Yassin”</em>
</p>
<p>Hanno tries to subtly check on the pair, who is now texting to each other.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Smart move… maybe I DO have to distract myself from them”</em>
</p>
<p>Agnes walks back to the counter, after checking on the few tables they had and pulls her phone out again, smiling to it.</p>
<p>“<em>Oh, of course! Agnes probably has a new girl”</em> Agnes has never been especially secretive about who she was dating with, but she generally was discreet until being 100% sure the attraction was mutual. A thing that in reality could take some time, Agnes was bad noticing when someone she was attracted to flirted with her.</p>
<p>“My shift ends soon,” Hanno reminds Agnes, “do you remember everything? How to use the machine”</p>
<p>“Yes, you’ve thought me well.” She joked and Hanno quickly went back to cleaning the last few cups, so Agnes could have everything ready. Once everything is clean he turns.</p>
<p>And Yassin is no longer there.</p>
<p>Elisabeth is sitting alone, putting everything, somewhat organized, back inside the box she has.</p>
<p>
  <em>Where is Yassin?</em>
</p>
<p><em>He had to go back home</em>. She explains a faint smile in her face. Hanno knew she was trying to act cheerful, but he could clearly read her bluff.</p>
<p>
  <em>You going back home?</em>
</p>
<p><em>I don’t know…</em> Elisabeth seems to have a hard time, thinking on what to say next.</p>
<p><em>I have the rest of the afternoon off. Want to do something?</em> Elisabeth stares at him, a slight confusion on her face.<em> I have to run some errands, but after that… I don’t know.</em></p>
<p>Elisabeth nods, and Hanno signs, <em>let me take the box upstairs, I’ll comeback in a minute</em>. Hanno takes the box and hears a cheer behind his back</p>
<p>“Woo-hoo!” Agnes call, emotion in her voice but her expression completely calm.</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>“You go, bro,” she says, barely moving her lips, Hanno assumes so her lips are unreadable.</p>
<p>“So extra”</p>
<p>“At least put a smile on,” Agnes teases, “you looked almost bored asking her out”</p>
<p>“I am not asking her out” Agnes does not laugh, but she blows air out of her nose, and fights a smile</p>
<p>“Sure”</p>
<hr/>
<p>Hanno and Elisabeth head to the grocery store, it was close enough that they could walk there. Generally Hanno would go in his bicycle.</p>
<p>They take their time, chatting about every other non-important thing Hanno can think off. Hanno thinks it might help distract Elisabeth.</p>
<p>She insists on going back to the apartment, saying that they could finally open the chest of drawers in the back thatprobably holds more clothes.</p>
<p><em>We don’t have to clear it up today, </em>explains Hanno, trying to be reassuring.</p>
<p>
  <em>With the two of us it could be moe efficient</em>
</p>
<p><em>Not everything is about efficiency.</em> Elisabeth feigns surprise at this. <em>Not everything</em> Hanno specifies.</p>
<p>They get to the store and it is so weirdly easy for them, taking a basket and deciding what to buy and Elisabeth hunting for some better prices at time. Hanno is in autopilot when he starts picking up stuff but stops when he notices Elisabeth is staring at him with a surpised look.</p>
<p><em>What?</em> She doesn’t look angry but the fact that he does not understand why she is staring.</p>
<p>She makes a sign he does not understand.</p>
<p>
  <em>What?</em>
</p>
<p><em>I-N-S-T-A-N-T Coffee? </em>Hanno looks at his basket.</p>
<p>
  <em>Uhm, yeah?</em>
</p>
<p><em>You live over a coffee shop,</em> she is not mad, she is smiling, <em>You can’t stop talking about how magnificent a good coffee is</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Sometimes I need a coffee quick.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>I am discovering thedark side of you, Hanno Tauber </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> It is more efficient!</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Not everything is about efficiency! </em>
</p>
<p>Hanno can’t help but laugh. She had him there.</p>
<hr/>
<p>They end up back in his apartment. He had never been the most social and had no idea where to take Elisabeth. They decide to use the groceries they had just bought and cook something.</p>
<p>They end up watching a movie on his laptop and Hanno feels bad that Elisabeth has to read the subtitles from such a small screen.</p>
<p>He thinks about buying a TV, maybe second hand he could find something? And he could use the other room like a living room or something of the sort, once is was clear.</p>
<p>Slowly the space was feeling more and more like a livable place.</p>
<p>And slowly he realized he and Elizabeth had a good rapport.</p>
<p>And he falls asleep.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Long time ago, when Hanno was in High School, he, Jonas, Bartoz and Magnus had gone to the lake, drinking some beer and goofing around. One thing led to another and Bartoz has asked “why are you so in love?” to both Jonas and Magnus.  Jonas had (obviously) said the cheesiest cheese who has ever been cheesed while Magnus…. Magnus had been weirdly more specific but more unexplained. And that had stayed with Hanno</p>
<p>“She is scary, but I like that.”</p>
<p>Now, years later Hanno knew exactly what was ‘scary’.</p>
<p>He… he didn’t find it attractive, just scary.</p>
<p>Since she was standing completely expressionless in front of him.</p>
<p>“So, my sister spent the night with you.”</p>
<p>”Uhm yeah…., but it not what You think.”</p>
<p>“I was not asking” she gives the smallest smile, a cold one. Before leaving, without saying anything else.</p>
<p>She maybe is scary when she yells, but God knows she is scarier when she doesn’t yell at you.</p>
<p>“What is wrong with her?” Mikkel asks, from the table he is cleaning.</p>
<p>“Damn, she is hot” responds Agnes.</p>
  </div></div>
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